An x-ray tube directs x-rays at an intended subject in order to produce an x-ray image. To produce x-rays, the x-ray tube receives large amounts of electrical energy. However, only a small fraction of the electrical energy transferred to the x-ray tube is converted within an evacuated enclosure of the x-ray tube into x-rays, while the majority of the electrical energy is converted to heat. If excessive heat is produced in the x-ray tube, the temperature may rise above critical values, and various portions of the x-ray tube may be subject to thermally-induced deforming stresses.
For example, the anode assembly of a rotating anode x-ray tube is particularly susceptible to excessive temperature and thermally-induced deforming stresses. In particular, as electrons are directed toward the focal track of the anode, the focal track of the anode becomes heated. This heat tends to conduct from the anode to other components of the anode assembly. As the anode can generally sustain much higher temperatures than other components of the anode assembly, the conduction of this heat can, over time, deteriorate the anode assembly resulting in the failure of the rotating anode.
Past efforts to dissipate the heat generated at the anode have involved the use of a liquid metal as a heat transfer medium to transfer the heat through the anode assembly. While the use of a liquid metal as a transfer medium is beneficial, the containment of the liquid metal in appropriate areas of the anode assembly has proven difficult. In particular, as the liquid metal is generally used to transfer heat in a space between a rotating portion of an anode assembly to a stationary portion of the anode assembly, it can be difficult to prevent the liquid metal from draining or splashing out from between the appropriate rotating and stationary portions of the anode assembly. If the liquid metal does escape the appropriate areas of the anode assembly, not only is the heat transfer within the anode assembly degraded, but the liquid metal can also corrode portions of the anode assembly into which the liquid metal has inadvertently drained or splashed.
The subject matter claimed herein is not limited to embodiments that solve any disadvantages or that operate only in environments such as those described above. Rather, this background is only provided to illustrate one exemplary technology area where some embodiments described herein may be practiced.